Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by the authority of the same:

SECTION 1. One hundred and fifty prominent scientists and technical men of the Philippine Islands to be selected by the Governor-General with the advice and consent of the Senate, as charter members; and their associates and successors duly chosen are hereby incorporated, constituted, and declared to be a body corporate by the name of National Research Council of the Philippine Islands.

SEC. 2. The purposes of this corporation are:

1. In general, to stimulate research in the mathematical, physical, and biological sciences, and in the application of these sciences to engineering, agriculture, medicine, and other useful arts, with the object of increasing knowledge, starting studies of problems of the national defense, and of contributing in other ways to the public welfare.
   
   
2. To survey the larger possibilities of science, to formulate comprehensive projects of research, and to develop effective means of utilizing the scientific and technical resources of the country for dealing with these projects.
   
   
3. To promote cooperation in research, at home and abroad, in order to secure concentration of effort, minimize duplication, and stimulate progress; but in all cooperative undertakings to give encouragement to individual initiative as fundamentally important to the advancement of science.
   
   
4. To gather and collate scientific and technical information at home and abroad, in cooperation with governmental and other agencies and to render such information available to duly accredited persons.
   

SEC. 3. The National Research Council of the Philippine Islands shall, aside from the charter members mentioned in section one hereof, consist of members duly elected by the incorporators thereof in accordance with its constitution and by-laws and the said corporation shall have power to make its own organization, including its constitution, by-laws, and rules and regulations; to fill all vacancies created by death, resignation or otherwise; to provide for the election of members, division into classes, and for all other matters needful or usual in such institution.

SEC. 4. The National Research Council of the Philippine Islands shall hold an annual meeting at such place and at such time in the Philippine Islands as may be designated, and the Council shall, whenever called upon by any Department of the Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science or art, the actual expense of such investigations, examinations, experiments and reports to be paid from appropriations which may be made for the purpose, but the Council shall receive no extra compensation whatever for any services rendered to the Government of the Philippine Islands.

SEC. 5. The said National Research Council of the Philippine Islands is hereby authorized and empowered to receive bequests and donations and hold the same in trust, to be applied by the said Council in aid of scientific investigations according to the will of the donors.

SEC. 6. The National Research Council of the Philippine Islands shall, in carrying out its aims and functions, and its purposes and powers provided in this Act, be exempt from the payment of all internal-revenue taxes, fees, assessments and other charges of the Government.

SEC. 7. From and after the passage of this Act it shall be unlawful for any person within the jurisdiction of the Philippine Islands to falsely and fraudulently hold himself out as, or represent himself to be, a member of, or an agent for, the National Research Council of the Philippine Islands, for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, or receiving money or material; and any person who violates the provisions of this section, shall be guilty of estafa and shall be dealt with accordingly.

SEC. 8. To help the said National Research Council of the Philippine Islands in carrying out its work as provided in this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce is hereby authorized and empowered to turn over to the said National Research Council such sums of money and extend such aid as the said Secretary may from time to time consider necessary, the money to come out of any available balance of the lump sum items of the appropriation authorized for the Department of Agriculture and Commerce or out of the money appropriated by Act Numbered Thirty-nine hundred and fifty-three, entitled "An Act to appropriate the sum of six hundred and eighty thousand pesos to be disbursed by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the promotion of new, and the improvement of existing industries, and for other purposes": Provided, That in no case shall the sum to be allotted for the purposes of this Act exceed twenty thousand pesos.

SEC. 9. The National Research Council of the Philippine Islands shall submit regularly an annual report to the Philippine Legislature and to the Governor-General, containing an accurate account of its work and activities during the corresponding fiscal year.

SEC. 10. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, December 8, 1933.